No special poll if only 1 candidate

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that it is ready to scrap the holding of the special polls for the congressional seat of the seventh district of Cavite in case there is only one candidate who will run for the post.

The schedule for the special elections has been set on Feb. 25, 2023.

“(In the event) that there is only one candidate qualified for the position of Member, House of Representatives, Seventh Legislative District of the Province of Cavite, and is thereby deemed elected, the Commission shall not hold the special election as scheduled,” the poll body said in Resolution Q0865 made public on Friday.

It added that the Provincial Board of Canvassers of Cavite will instead schedule the proclamation on the day the special elections should have been held.

“The Provincial Board of Canvassers of the Province of Cavite, as authorized by the Commission En Banc, shall convene on February 25, 2023 at Q0:00 am, to proclaim the lone qualified candidate for the position of Member, House of Representatives, Seventh Legislative District for the Province of Cavite,” it said.

It noted that the proclamation without holding the special polls has no different effect than those declared winners after voting.

“The lone qualified candidate shall have the right to assume office after proclamation in the same manner as if an election by plurality of vote has been conducted,” the Comelec added.

Under Republic Act 8295, after the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy (CoCs) in a special election, when there is only one qualified candidate for such a position, the lone candidate shall be proclaimed by the Comelec without holding the special elections.

On the other hand, the Comelec has set the filing period for CoCs from December 5-6 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Aspirants have to file their CoCs at the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor of the province.

The special elections will be automated since less will be spent through the use of 90,000 machines for merely 500 precincts. Each precinct can have at least Q0 voting machines.

Newly-registered voters will not be allowed to participate yet in the said polls since the Election Registration Board has not yet approved applications of new voters by that time.

In July, the House of Representatives passed a resolution declaring a vacancy in the seventh district of Cavite when Jesus Crispin Remulla assumed office as Secretary of the Department of Justice.

The Comelec en banc has designated Commissioner Marlon Casquejo in charge of the special elections in Cavite.